Madison — Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp on Tuesday defended Gov. Scott Walker's plan to turn the Natural Resources Board into an advisory panel, instead of one that makes policy, even as she acknowledged she had not been consulted on the proposal in advance.

"I feel that it's extra layers," Stepp said of the board in a briefing to the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee. "I think it's duplicative."(48)

James Buchen, a 26-year executive with Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, is leaving the business organization to start a public relations firm.

In a news release Monday, Buchen said his new firm will partner with Hamilton Consulting Group of Madison, and will provide a full range of public affairs services including lobbying, issue advocacy, legislative drafting and political consulting. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article(1)

The Medical College of Wisconsin will move forward with plans to establish campuses in Green Bay and central Wisconsin, an expansion that could help lessen the projected shortage of physicians in the state.

The campuses will be based on an innovative model that draws on universities, colleges and health systems for faculty and sites for clinical training. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article(31)

Sales of existing homes in Wisconsin jumped 29.4% in October while median sale prices continued inching upward, more evidence of a slow recovery in the housing market.

October marked the 16th consecutive month of sales growth and the median sale price was up 3.5% from the same month a year ago, a report released Monday by the Wisconsin Realtors Association shows. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article(36)

Wisconsin residents who were improperly foreclosed on received $86.2 million in relief by the end of September as a result of a national mortgage settlement with five banks accused of abuses, according to a report released Monday.

In Wisconsin, 1,873 customers with Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase and Ally Financial/GMAC have benefited from some kind of consumer relief through the end of September, the companies reported to the national settlement administrator. That's a benefit of more than $46,000 per borrower. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article(6)

Private investors have committed more than $2.5 million to the seven companies that represent the first graduating class from gener8tor, a group that works to accelerate start-ups.

"We're proud to have been the initial investor in these great companies that have raised significant amounts from investors including local and regional angel groups, venture capital firms and individual investors from around the country," said Troy Vosseller, a gener8tor co-founder. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article

Neenah - Plexus Corp. said Monday that John Nussbaum, co-founder of the manufacturing company and its nonexecutive chairman, will retire from its board in February.

Plexus has appointed Dean Foate, its president and CEO, to take over as chairman at the annual shareholder meeting Feb. 13. Foate joined Plexus in 1984 and has served as its president and CEO since 2002. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article

The National Nuclear Security Administration, the division of the Department of Energy that is trying to create domestic producers of the isotope, made the award. Northstar will use the money to help set up the Beloit facility. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article(6)

The plan to renovate an east side building into the new home for Pizza Man restaurant was approved Monday by the Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission.

Pizza Man, which was destroyed in a January 2010 fire, would reopen by early summer if the plan also wins Common Council zoning approval, said architect Matt Rinka, of Rinka Chung Architecture Inc., which designed the renovations. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Blog Post(11)

Quad/Graphics Inc. said Monday the waiting period for antitrust review of its proposed acquisition of Baltimore printing company Vertis Holdings Inc. expired at midnight Friday with no action taken by the Federal Trade Commission.

The companies can now proceed with the proposed sale, once it receives U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval and completes integration plans, Quad said. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Article(5)

A proposal to develop a three-story building with 27 apartments has received zoning approval from the Town of Brookfield.

The Town Board's action allows developer Bill Bode to proceed with detailed plans for the apartment building, which will include underground parking, at 655 N. Brookfield Road. The rezoning also requires approval from Waukesha County officials. | Nov. 19, 2012»Read Full Blog Post